Enron Analysis Essay Example for Free

Enron Analysis Essay Think about the demand for the three popular game consoles: Xbox, PS3 and Wii. Explain the effect of the following event on the demand for Xbox games, and the quantity of Xbox games demanded, other things remaining the same. a) The price falls b) The price of a PS3 and a Wii fall c) The number of people writing and producing Xbox games increases d) Consumers income increase e) Programmers who write codes for Xbox games become more costly to hire f) The price of an Xbox game is expected to fall g) A new game console is developed and marketed that is a close substitute to Xbox ) Increases b) Decrease c) Increase d) Increase e) Decrease f) Decrease g) Decrease 2. Read Oswald, A (2001) â€Å"Economics that matters: Using the Tax System to Solve the Shortage of Human Organs† Kyklos Vol 54 (2-3), 379-81, available from the subject eLearning website and discuss his proposal for reducing deaths due to the shortage of organs for transplant. In your discussion, use terms such as supply, demand, quantity supplied, quantity demanded, and draw demand/supply diagrams to clarify your discussion. The supply of organs from organ donor’s does not meet the demand of organ’s. There is a huge shortage of donors, which poses a massive problem. In a perfect world, the quantity demanded would meet the quantity supplied and the market for organs would be in equilibrium, as in the following graph: Oswald suggests that a tax bracket/incentive could bring supply and demand closer together. As in the UK, the quantity of organs demanded is 6000 and the quantity supplied is only 3000. A tax incentive will be an economic cost, yet the benefits are great and may cancel out the extra cost to taxpayers.

Futility in Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Essay -- Waiting For Go

Beckett explores the theme of futility in an attempt to leave the audience with questions about the meaning of life. The techniques and ways in which he does this vary in relation to the scene but he relies heavily on the use of philosophical and emotive language and a shocking way to intellectually and emotionally engage the audience. All characters that Beckett features in his play are used as literary constructs in creating the tone and setting in which to develop and examine the theme of futility. The theme of futility is linked to the philosophy of Nihilism and grounded in the belief that our universe is stochastic, and therefore structure-less. If life has no structure or coherent meaning it can ultimately be seen as futile. Beckett explores the theme of futility throughout the text in numerous ways. The theme of futility is immediately brought to the forefront in the beginning of the scene through stage directions concerning Estragon’s struggle with his boot. Diction such as ‘he gives up, tries again†¦ as before’ immediately set the tone of the futility of both his actions and the situation. This is further reflected in the setting of the play and the apparent bareness of their surroundings. The theme of futility is further reflected in the cyclical nature of the dialogue in the sense that nothing appears to change and everything is simply repeated, their conversation never reached a definitive conclusion they are ultimately still ‘waiting for Godot’ and longing for answers. The concept of time is used very successfully by Beckett in order to highlight and develop the theme of futility in ‘Waiting for Godot.’ Time can be seen as a very fluid concept in the sense that the audience is never made aware of how l... ...above. Whilst numerous techniques are employed in order to develop and influence the audiences understanding and perception of themes he deems important perhaps the most significant tool, which Beckett utilizes, is the motifs and certain characterization. The play can be considered highly minimalist and therefore the dynamics that exist between the characters are essential in order to demonstrate and explore the theme of futility. Ultimately, the theme of futility and the effect it has on relationships and attitudes can be considered the most significant and widely explored by Beckett. Conclusively, futility is greatly involved in the play and Beckett explores it through methods I have explored in this essay. Works Cited Beckett, Samuel. Waiting For Godot. 3rd ed. N.p.: CPI Group, 2006. Print. Vol. 1 of Samuel Beckett: The Complete Dramatic Works. 4 vols

Later Adulthood Development Report Essay

As adults enter the stage of later adulthood, many changes will begin to develop for each person. The aging process includes transitioning from work life to retirement, changes to roles, social positions, social policies, determining living accommodations with healthcare needs, and relationships with families and peers. The stage known as the golden years comes with great challenges while adjusting to the many changes in a person’s life. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Transition from work to retirement The transition from a working life to the retirement years can be a difficult process for aging adults as giving up higher salaries for the amount paid for Social Security is drastically different. Forcing retired adults to look for supplement income during this stage at a lower status than previously held in a prior position. Most companies offer a pension or 401k plan to help employees plan for a better retirement as it is almost impossible to live on Social Security alone. This change also plays a large factor on how the individual views their personal self-worth. Instead of priding themselves in the knowledge of an occupation, retirement forces the person to give up that role in search of another source to occupy their time. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Transition from work to retirement Cont. Retirement can be an enjoyed time for some older adults as they see it as the first time since childhood they are able to do the things they want in life without worrying about the limits caused by a profession. Others will struggle to figure out to do with all the extra time during each day. Depending greatly on the attitude a person had toward the many years spent  employed and the ability to continue financially supporting the extracurricular items they would like to partake in during retirement. Personal well-being plays a large factor in how the adult will handle the retirement years and determine additional health issues a person may face. With a solid retirement plan continuing to support the person financially, this can be a joyous time while others learning to live on a fixed income will notices significant changes to their overall health. These changes are brought on by depression, a feeling of no longer being needed, or the bored from not having a specific task for every day living. (Allen, Clark, & Ghent, 2004). Changes in role and social position As aging progresses people begin to lose their role and social positions caused by the changes to activities, each person is involved in and illnesses the elderly develop. The lack of physical and mental activities begins to decrease psychomotor skills that affect various aspects of daily living. When people start aging the changes in the ability to see and hear begin to decline making it appear as if the person suffers from a decline in mental competency, which may not be the case and it just takes an older person longer to process the information that is given to them. Physically the changes to a person’s body will begin in middle adulthood with the most noticeable happening in later adulthood. Physical changes in muscle tone and height along with a slower understanding of the world around them creates the perception of the older adult as a weaker person in the eyes of their loved ones and is the time when health issues become more noticeable. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Changes in role and social position Cont. As reaction times slowdown, the elderly begin to lose privileges like driving because the reaction time is greatly affected and is thought to be the cause of additional accidents. Driving is, usually, the first task removed from a person when they are no longer able to operate a vehicle safely without endangering the lives of others. Once a person begins to experience this normal task being taken away from them it causes the person to become dependent on families or friends to help with their daily needs, and decreases the feeling of self-sufficiency, which causes the change to the role a person has in society. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Changes in  marriage, family and peer relationships Later adulthood is the time in life when changes in marriage, families, and peer relationships are affected the most by the loss of someone close to that person. â€Å"Most people 70 years of age or older are widowed, divorced, or single† (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p.619). Losing a spouse or close friend can create a sense of loneliness, which causes depression, anxiety and the emptiness feeling can become overwhelming. Depression also leads to psychological effects that will deteriorate a person’s health causing the chance for a terminal disease to become much higher. The weaker appearance of older adults causes family and remaining peers to step up in the role of making sure the person’s wellbeing is being met. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Living accommodations and healthcare needs Declining health and depression are two of the largest reasons families look into assisted living homes for aging loved ones. Making sure that the healthcare needs of the elderly are met becomes a priority for every family as the roles begin to reverse from the parent being the primary caregiver of their children to the children being responsible for meeting the needs of aging parents. Diseases such Alzheimer’s and dementia are very difficult for not only the older person but for their families as well. As a person with this disease is no longer able to live on their own without the fear of something bad happening while no one else is around to watch over them. The disease affects all normal aspects of a person’s life, creating confusion, aggressive behaviors, incontinence, and the inability to meet the daily needs without supervision making it necessary to find a facility that will meet the needs of the patient. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Finding a facility that w ill meets all the needs of the older adult and have a level of care that the family desires can be difficult to find. Researching all facilities in the area will help keep a peace of mind for the family and reassure that their loved ones are receiving the care they need. Medical programs Healthcare for older adults is expensive, and since many are living on fixed incomes, they rely on programs such as Medicaid and Medicare to meet their  medical needs. Due to the economic status of the government and the high cost of medical care, both of these programs now provide limited services to older adult. The quality of medical care older people will receive will also be lessened as many primary care physicians focus their practice on younger generations, creating an inability to correctly diagnose problems in older adulthood. Treating younger people allows the physicians to make more money off the current Medicare programs because of the limitations in place to restrict additional procedures when needed. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Social policies affecting older adults Social policies were created to aid the aging population meet medical, daily and income needs. The Older Americans Act of 1965 was created to ensure that older adults receive benefits of income, adequate housing, community services, and nutrition programs. (Gelfand, & Bechill, 1991). The Supplement Security Income program was designed to provide additional income after retirement for the individuals that worked the required amount of years to receive full benefits. Medicare plans are split into a two-part system that will pay for limited medical expenses incurred after retirement. Part A of the plan pays for limited care during hospital stays, nursing homes, and home health care when needed, while Part B covers physician expenses and out-patient services. Throughout the years, many changes have been made to the policies because of changes in presidency and budget cuts to the federally funded programs. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Conclusion The changes that occur for the older adult population make it necessary for extensive planning during the middle adulthood stage, for retirement and reflecting on how each individual will provide their basic needs when the time comes. Plans will help to ease the stress of aging, put less of a burden on family members, and make sure that the elderly receive the medical attention they need without relying on government assisted programs. Maintaining a presence in social groups will help the overall mental and physical status of the aging population. The future is up to each person to control how they want to live during the last stage of life. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). References Allen, S. G., Clark, R. L., & Ghent, L. S. (2004). Phasing into retirement. The Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 58(1), 112-127. Gelfand, D.E., & Bechill, W. (1991, Summer-Fall). The evolution of the older Americans act: a 25-year review of the legislative changes. Generations, 15(3), 19-22. Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2010). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment (8th ed.). Mason , Ohio: Brooks Cole/Cengage.

Sociological Explanations For The Divorce Phenomenon

A major change that has occurred in the Western family is an increased incidence in divorce. Whereas in the past, divorce was a relatively rare occurrence, in recent times it has become quite commonplace. This change is borne out clearly in census figures. For example thirty years ago in Australia, only one marriage in ten ended in divorce; nowadays the figure is more than one in three (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996: p.45). A consequence of this change has been a substantial increase in the number of single parent families and the attendant problems that this brings (Kilmartin, 1997). An important issue for sociologists, and indeed for all of society, is why these changes in marital patterns have occurred. In this essay I will seek to critically examine a number of sociological explanations for the divorce phenomenon and also consider the social policy implications that each explanation carries with it. It will be argued that the best explanations are to be found within a broad socio-economic framework. One type of explanation for rising divorce has focused on changes in laws relating to marriage. For example, Bilton, Bonnett and Jones (1987) argue that increased rates of divorce do not necessarily indicate that families are now more unstable. It is possible, they claim, that there has always been a degree of marital instability. They suggest that changes in the law have been significant, because they have provided unhappily married couples with access to aShow MoreRelatedSociological Explanations For The Divorce Phenomenon1154 Words   |  5 PagesA major change that has occurred in the Western family is an increased incidence in divorce. Whereas in the past, divorce was a relatively rare occurrence, in recent times it has become quite commonplace. This change is borne out clearly in census figures. For example thirty years ago in Australia, only one marriage in ten ended in divorce; nowadays the figure is more than one in three (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996: p.45). A co nsequence of this change has been a substantial increase in theRead More Cohabitation and its Effect on Marital Stability in the US Essay1725 Words   |  7 Pagescohabitation into sociological analyses and thinking, is crucial for evaluating family patterns, people’s lifestyles, children’s wellbeing and social changes more broadly. This essay presents some common explanation for cohabitation’s dramatic rise and identifies some analytic questions as to how cohabitation is increasingly a major barrier in the marital stability in the United States. Cohabitation, over the last two decades has gone from being a relatively uncommon social phenomenon to a commonplaceRead MoreAssess the View That Religion Is a Source of Instability and Conflict1094 Words   |  5 Pagesshape the way our world developed. Whilst some sociological theories such as functionalist sees religion as performing a positive function in society as it can lead to social solidarity, integrating people into society, other sociological theories such as Marxist and Feminist totally disagrees with this and would argue that religion leads to instability and conflict in society. Karl Marx a Marxist sees religion as an illusion and that the phenomenon of religion is part of what Marx refers to asRead MoreCauses of Suicide Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pagesthe least aware of the answer to this ninth leading cause of death. Scientists have discovered that the cause of this fatal behavior can be found both within and without the individual. Whether biological, sociological or psychological the question remains as to which one will provide explanations to suicidal behavior. Or perhaps, could the answer be that all these factors are somehow interrelated. Whatever the case may be the statistics are frighteningly real. 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Parsons’, in his work The Social System (1957) criticized utilitarian concept of action for their emphasis individualism, economic action and market relations and other economic categories; he focused on the social processesRead MoreHow Do I Explain Behaviour.3312 Words   |  14 Pagesconnotations – content and process. The content is what we know, such as facts we learn in chemistry or psychology courses. Science is also a process – an activity that includes the systematic ways in which data are gathered, relationships are noted and explanations offered. There is a great difference between sociology and physics, psychology and astronomy. For this reason, the sciences are commonly divided into natural and social sciences. Natural science is the study of physical features of nature and Sociological Explanations For The Divorce Phenomenon A major change that has occurred in the Western family is an increased incidence in divorce. Whereas in the past, divorce was a relatively rare occurrence, in recent times it has become quite commonplace. This change is borne out clearly in census figures. For example thirty years ago in Australia, only one marriage in ten ended in divorce; nowadays the figure is more than one in three (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996: p.45). A consequence of this change has been a substantial increase in the number of single parent families and the attendant problems that this brings (Kilmartin, 1997). An important issue for sociologists, and indeed for all of society, is why these changes in marital patterns have occurred. In this essay I will†¦show more content†¦One example of these changes is the raised material aspirations of families, which Hart suggests has put pressure on both spouses to become wage earners. Women as a result have been forced to become both homemakers and economic providers. According to Hart, the contradiction of these two roles has lead to conflict and this is the main cause of marital breakdown. It would appear that Hart s explanation cannot account for all cases of divorce - for example, marital breakdown is liable to occur in families where only the husband is working. Nevertheless, her approach, which is to relate changes in family relations to broader social forces, would seem to be more probing than one that looks only at legislative change. The two explanations described above have very different implications for social policy, especially in relation to how the problem of increasing marital instability might be dealt with. Bilton et al. (1995) offer a legal explanation and hence would see the solutions also being determined in this domain. If rises in divorce are thought to be the consequence of liberal divorce laws, the obvious way to stem this rise is to make them less obtainable. This approach, one imagines, would lead to a reduction in divorce statistics; however, it cannot really be held up as a genuine solution to the problems of marital stress andShow MoreRelatedSociological Explanations For The Divorce Phenomenon1154 Words   |  5 PagesA major change that has occurred in the Western family is an increased incidence in divorce. Whereas in the past, divorce was a relatively rare occurrence, in recent times it has become quite commonplace. This change is borne out clearly in census figures. For example thirty ye ars ago in Australia, only one marriage in ten ended in divorce; nowadays the figure is more than one in three (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996: p.45). A consequence of this change has been a substantial increase in theRead More Cohabitation and its Effect on Marital Stability in the US Essay1725 Words   |  7 Pagescohabitation into sociological analyses and thinking, is crucial for evaluating family patterns, people’s lifestyles, children’s wellbeing and social changes more broadly. This essay presents some common explanation for cohabitation’s dramatic rise and identifies some analytic questions as to how cohabitation is increasingly a major barrier in the marital stability in the United States. Cohabitation, over the last two decades has gone from being a relatively uncommon social phenomenon to a commonplaceRead MoreAssess the View That Religion Is a Source of Instability and Conflict1094 Words   |  5 Pagesshape the way our world developed. Whilst some sociological theories such as functionalist sees religion as performing a positive function in society as it can lead to social solidarity, integrating people into society, other sociological theories such as Marxist and Feminist totally disagrees with this and would argue that religion leads to instability and conflict in society. Karl Marx a Marxist sees religion as an illusion and that the phenomenon of religion is part of what Marx refers to asRead MoreCauses of Suicide Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pagesthe least aware of the answer to this ninth leading cause of death. Scientists have discovered that the cause of this fatal behavior can be found both within and without the individual. Whether biological, sociological or psychological the question remains as to which one will provide explanations to suicidal behavior. Or perhaps, could the answer be that all these factors are somehow interrelated. Whatever the case may be the statistics are frighteningly real. There is more suicide deaths thanRead MoreSuicide Rates Among Active Duty Personnel Decreased1551 Words   |  7 Pagesjob and combat stress of the military and already existing life stressors. A Sociological Perspective The problem of military suicides is nothing new. Throughout the history of the United States there have been wars and as a result of the trauma and aftermath caused by war, suicide has always occurred in the military. Historically, the approach to suicide in the military was often attributed to an individual phenomenon resulting in the specific manner that service-members respond to understandingRead MoreClassical Sociological Theory2015 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿Name: Chow Ka Chun Simon; Ssid: 1155032615 Course Code: SOCI 3003 Classical Sociological Theories Professor : Chan Hoi Man Tutor : Joanne Luk Date : 12th November, 2014 Mid-term Exercise Topic: Discuss the meaning and significance of social fact. In your paper, discuss why the concept of your choice may be considered as important for understanding the works of the theorist concerned. In addition, you may also discuss the border significance of the concept in helping you to understand theRead MoreDurkheim Deviance1938 Words   |  8 Pagesof suicide. This essay will explore the sociological contributions provided by functionalist Emile Durkheim, the ideas he posited and the criticisms both internal and external that were prompted by his theory of suicide. Suicide is undeniably one of the most personal actions an individual can take upon oneself and yet it has a deep social impact. Could this be because social relationships play such an important role in its causation? 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Parsons’, in his work The Social System (1957) criticized utilitarian concept of action for their emphasis individualism, economic action and market relations and other economic categories; he focused on the social processesRead MoreHow Do I Explain Behaviour.3312 Words   |  14 Pagesconnotations – content and process. The content is what we know, such as facts we learn in chemistry or psychology courses. Science is also a process – an activity that includes the systematic ways in which data are gathered, relationships are noted and explanations offered. There is a great difference between sociology and physics, psychology and astronomy. For this reason, the sciences are commonly divided into natural and social sciences. Natural science is the study of physical features of nature and